Apparatus for snell hook manufacture



Aug 2, 1932- .H. w. MEYER 1,869,858

APPARATUS FOR SNELL HOOK MANUFACTURE Filed Aug. 14, 1931 Im. HHH] l 5 INVENTOR Patented Aug. 2, 1932 HAROLD W. MEYER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK APPARATUS FOR SNELL HOOK MANUFACTURE ltpplicationfiled August 14, 1931. Serial No. 557,077.

This invention relates to the manufacture of snelled hooks and the special objects of the invention are to supply the fish hooks to the trade with the snells straight and orderly 5 and therefore easier to handle, neater and a more attractive article from the sales standpoint.

These and other desirable objects are attained in the present invention by setting up X hooks in a stretching or snell straightening frame immediately following the Snelling op-V eration. The novel construction of this frame and other features of the invention will appear as the speciiication proceeds.V

15 The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specilication illustrates a 'simple commercial embodiment of the invention but it is to be understood that the structure may be modified and changed as regards this dis- 4r2U closure without departure from the true spirit and broad scope of the invention.

Fig. 1` is a front elevation; of one of the frames or racks, illustrating a few of the hooks 1n place at one end of the frame {Fig} 2 1s an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken on substantially the plane of line 2-2 ofl Fig. 1.

The form of the device herewith disclosed l comprises a generally rectangular frame 3 made up of side guides or rods 10 and 11 joined at top and bottom by the upper and lower tie rods 12, 13. For adjustment `purposes the upper tie rod is shown as sleeved at 14, over the ends of the side rods and 35 as adjustably secured by set screws 16, 17. Similarly the lower tie rod is shown as sleeved over the side rods at18, 19 and is ad-y justably held by set screws 20, 21.

For directly supporting the hooks and theV 4:' frame, a rack bar 22 is illustrated carriedV by sleeves 23, 24 slidably engaged on the side rods and connected by abrace or cross head 25'which, in the example illustrated carries Alinks 26 for supporting and reinforcing the 4" intermediate portions of the rack bar 22. The notches 27 in the upper edge of the rack bar provide seats for the hooks, serving to hold the latter as designated at 28 in rel-ar l tively close but properly spaced relation. y U The Shanks 29 of the hooks have the snells v30 attached thereto at 31 which latter are illustrated as having the usual loops 32 for attachment' to the iishing tackle.

Mounted in the frame opposite the rack bar 22 is a bar 33 shown as adjustably sup- 55 ported by having end collars 34, 35 secured by set screws 36, 37 on the side rods 10, 11.

For engaging the loops of thesnells, special spring holders 38 are provided, consisting in the illustration of hair pin wires which have theV straight parallel legs39, 40 sliding through guide openings 41, 42 in the cross bar and'provided at the upper ends with the outturned hooks 43, 44 for engagement by the snell loops. These snell holders are inde- 65 pendently tensioned in the disclosure by coiled springs 45 on the straight portions 39 of the retainers, said springs engaging the underside of the cross bar and acting against the looped lower ends 46 of the retainers.l

For adjusting and for quick hook releasing purposes, the side bars of the frame are illustrated as toothed to vform racks 47 engageable by the holding dogs 48 pivoted at 49 V on the end sleeves of the upper, or hook hold- Vingbar 22.l These latches are readily releasable through the medium of the handle levers 50 which latter are shown asacted on by springs 51 for holding the latches normally engaged with the respective racks.

The stroke or adjustment of the hook racking bar isshown as predetermined in the illustration by the stop collars 52 adjustably secured on the side rods of the frame by set screws 53. l

In using the invention, theracking bars 22 and23 are relatively adjusted, if need be, to properly hold the snelled hooks of the size or sizes which are to be racked,'such adjustments being easily accomplished by loosen- 90 ing-the set screws and sliding one or the other f caught to the spring holders of the lower bar,

the snells will be drawn tight and straight in kthe manner indicated at the left in Figure 1.

The usual method of placing the hooks in j the frame is to irst catch the loop of the snell 10G liu over a hook of one of the spring holders and to then snap the hook up over the complementary notch in the upper rack bar. The frame may be thus quickly filled with the hooks, the hook terminals 48, 44 of the spring retainers enabling the hooks to be placed in either side of the frame, or if desired in both sides of the f ame. Usually, however, only a single hook will be held by a spring retainer so that individual spring tension will be applied to each snell.

lith the hooks in place in the frame they may be all treated at once, for instance for removing any burrs or the like at the wrappings 31, which can be accomplished quickly by passing a blow-torch flame along these wrapped joints. The entire group of hooks may be simultaneously treated in other ways, for example by dipping the rack in a solution which will temporarily soften the snells. Then withdrawn from such solution the rack may be placed aside to permit the snells to dry after which the hooks can be quickly detached from the frame upon releasing the latches 48, to permit the upper rack bar to slide down over the side posts sufficiently for the hooks to become disengaged from their seats in the rack bar. After a frameis thus cleared of hooks, the rack bar may be slid up against its stops 52 in proper position to receive the next load of hooks, and to permit this quick return movement, the rack teeth 47 may be inclined as indicated at 54 to permit the latches to snap over the same in the return stroke.

As the structure may be modified and changed in various respects, all within the true and intended scope of the invention, it should be understood that the terms employed herein have been used in a descriptive rather than in a limiting sense, except possibly, for such limitations as may be imposed by the state of the prior art.

lVhat is claimed is: 4

l. A device of the character described including a pair of side guides, tie rods connecting the ends of said side guides, a rack bar mounted for vertical sliding movement on the portions of said side guides between said tie rods, a cross-bar mounted on said portions of said side guides between said tie rods and beneath said rack bar, each of said side guides including a series of rack teeth and said rack bar having latchino means to cooperate with said rack teeth for supporting saidrack bar in a selected elevated position, means adjustable on the side guides to limit the. upward travel of said rack bar, a plurality of devices extending upwardly through said cross-bar and tensioning springs on said devices, said rack bar being notched and thereby adapted to support the hook portions of a plurality of snelled fish hooks in spaced relation, and said devices being adapted to engage the free ends of the snells of said fish hooks to individiually maintain said snells in tautened condition.

2. In a device of the character described, a frame including a pair of vertical side guides, upper and lower tie rods detachably secured `to said -side guides, a crosshead mounted for vertical sliding movement on said side guides, said crosshead including a rack bar and an overhead member having suspension devices to support said rack bar intermediate its ends, a cross-bar movably mounted on said side guides and including means for attachment to the latter in a selected height adjustment position, each of said side guides including a series of rack teeth, said crosshead including latch devices to cooperate. with said rack teeth for supporting said crosshead in different elevated positions, adjustable stop devices on said side guides to limit the upward travel of said crosshead, a plurality of hook devices extending upwardly through said cross bar and tensioning springs on said hook devices, said rack bar being adapted to support the hook portions of a plurality of snelled fish hooks and said hook devices being arranged to engage the looped portions of the snells of said fish hooks to individually maintain said snells in tautened condition for straightening the same.

Apparatus for the manufacture of snell hooks comprising al frame consisting of side guides secured together in spaced parallel relation, cross bars engaged with said side guides and one adjustable on said side guides toward and away from the other cross bar, quick-releasable means for retaining said movable cross bar spaced from the other cross bar and readily releasable to permit bodily movement of said cross bar toward the other cross bar, one of said cross bars having spaced notches to receive and space the hook portions of a number of snelled fish hooks and spring tensioned holders on the other cross bar in line with the hook notches to receive the free ends of the snells of said fish hooks to thereby individually tension the snells and whereby upon actuation of said quick-releasable holding means, the one cross bar may be shifted toward the other to release the individually tautened fish hooks as a group.

4. Apparatus for the manufacture of snell hooks comprising a frame having side guides, cross bars connecting said side guides and one freely movable on the side guides toward and away from the other, individual snell Atensioning devices in -spaced relation on one of the cross bars and the other cross bar having correspondingly spaced holding means for the opposite ends of snelled fish hooks and quick-releasable means for holding the freely movable cross bar spaced from the other cross bar and whereby by release of such means, said freely movable cross bar may be quickly shifted in the frame to release all of' the individually tensioned snelled hooks.

ier:

5. Apparatus for use in the manufacture of snelled hooks and comprising a frame having substantially parallel cross bars relatively movable toward and away from each other, individual snell tensioning devices on one of the cross bars-and each adapted for engagement by one end of a snelled hook and the other cross bar having holding means for the opposite ends of the snelled hooks and relatively spaced to thereby maintain the individually tensioned snelled` hooks in definitely spaced orderly arrangement in the frame and quick-releasable means for retaining the cross bars in relatively separated relation and whereby by release of such means, the cross bars may be quickly approached to effect the release from the frame of the entire group of individually tensioned snelled hooks.

6. Apparatus for use in the manufacture of snelled hooks and comprising a frame having substantially parallel cross bars relatively movable toward and away from each other, individual snell tensioning devices on one of the cross bars and each adapted for engagement by one end of a snelled hook and the other cross bar having holding meansfor the opposite ends of the snelled hooks and rela.

tively spaced to thereby maintain the individually tensioned snelled hooks in definitely spaced orderly arrangement in the frame and quick-releasable means for retaining the cross bars in relatively separated relation, whereby by release of such means, the cross bars may be quickly approached to effect the release from the frame of the entire group of individually tensioned snelled hooks and regulatable stop means adjustable to fiX the relative separating movement of the cross bars and whereby after discharge of the snelled hooks from the frame the cross bars of the frame may be quickly reset to take a fresh group of the snelled hooks.

7. Apparatus for use in the manufacture of snelled hooks, comprisinga frameV composed of side rods, a tie rod connecting said side rods in spaced relation at one end, a cross bar connecting opposite end portions of the side rods in spaced relation, a cross bar freely slidable on the side rods between the tie rod and the first mentioned cross bar, snell tensioning means carried by one of the cross bars and the other cross bar having means for engagement by opposite end portions of snelled hooks and whereby a number of hooks may be engaged and held under tension between said cross bars and means for retaining the freely slidable cross bar in position separated a desired distance from the other cross bar, said retaining means being quickly-releasable to enable quick movement of said cross bar toward the other cross bar to effect a group release of the snelled hooks from the frame. l

8. Apparatus for use in the manufacture G of snelled hooks, comprising a frame composed of side rods, a tie rod connecting said side rods in spaced relation at one end, a cross bar connecting opposite end portions of the side rods in spaced relation, a cross bar freely slidable on the side rods between the tie rod and the first mentioned cross bar, snell tensioning means carried by one of the cross bars and the other cross bar having means for engagement by opposite end portions of snelled hooks and whereby a number of hooks may be engaged and held under tension between said cross bars and means vfor retaining the-freely slidable cross bar in position separated a desired distance from the other cross bar, said retaining means being quicklyreleasable to enablerquick movement of vsaid cross bar toward the other cross bar to effect a group release of the snelled hooks from the frame and said quick-release retaining means including latches on the sliding cross bar engageable with the side rods and provided. with projectingfinger pieces by' which they may be readily released.

9. Apparatus for use inthe manufacture of snelled hooks, vcomprising a frame composed of side rods, a tie rod connecting1 said side rods vin spaced relation at one end, a cross bar connecting opposite end portions of the side rods in spaced relation, across bar freelyl slidableY on the side rods between t-he tie rod and the first mentioned-cross bar, Vsnell tensioning means Acarried by one of the cross bars and the other cross bar having means for engagement by opposite end portions of snelled hooks, whereby a number of hooks may be engaged and held undertension between said cross barsandmeans for retaining the freely slidable cross bar in position separated a desired distance from,` the other-cross bar, said retaining means being quickly releasable to enable quick movement of said cross bar toward the other cross bar to effect a group release of the snelled hooks from the frame and stop means adjustably engaged on the side rods to determine the extent of movement of the Yfree sliding cross bar away from the other cross bar.

10. Apparatus for use in the manufacture of snelledl hooks, lcomprising a frame composed of side rods, a tie rod connectingsaid side rods in spaced relation at one end, a cross bar connecting opposite end portions of the side'rods. inv spaced relation, a cross bar freely slidable on the side rods between the tie rod and the first mentioned cross bar,

snell tensioning meansv carried by one of theV cross bars and the other cross bar having means for engagement by opposite endportion of snelled hooks and whereby a number lof hooks may be engaged and held under tension between said cross bars and means for retaining the freely slidable cross bar in position separated a desired distance from the other cross bar, said retaining means being quickly releasable to enable quick movement of said cross bar toward the other cross bar to effect a group release of the snelled hooks from the frame, the means aforesaid by which theI snelled hooks are held at their opposite ends including spaced seats for the hook portions, on one of the cross bars, and correspondingly spaced spring Y tensioned holding hooks for the loops of the snells on the other of the cross bars.

1l. Apparatus for use in the manufacture of snelled hooks, comprisinga frame composed of side rods, a tie rod connecting said side rods in spaced relation at one end, a cross bar connecting opposite end portions of the side rods in spaced relation, a cross bar freely slidable on the side rods between the tie rod and the first mentioned cross bar, snell tensioning means carried by one of the cross bars and the other cross bar having means for engagement by opposite end portions of snelled hooks and whereby a number of hooks may be engaged and held under tension between said cross bars and means for retaining the freely slidable cross bar in position separated a. desired distance from the other cross bar, said retaining means being quickly releasable to enable quick move-l ment of said cross bar toward the other cross bar to effect a group release of the snelled hooks from the frame, a second tie rod connecting the side rods and the first mentioned cross bar being engaged with the side rods in between thetwo tie rods aforesaid and having means by which the same may ber secured inA diiferently set positions on the side rods to facilitate the handling of hooks of different snell lengths.

12. A frame for use in the manufacture of snelled hooks and comprising substantially parallel relatively separable cross bars, hair pin shaped wires slidingly engaged in spaced relation in one of said cross bars and having oppositely turned hooks at the free ends of the same, springs engaged between the cross bar and the loops of said hair pin wires, the other cross bar having means for spacedly supporting the hook portions of the hooks whose snells are engaged with the hair pin hooks and readily releasable means for retaining the cross bars in the separated relation.

13. Racking means for snell hook manu facture, comprising a frame composed of side rods, tie rods securing opposite end portions of the side rod-jsI in spaced parallel relation, a cross bar and means for adjustably securing the same in desired position on the side rods in between the tie rods aforesaid, a second cross bar slidingly sleeved on the side rods, latch means for releasably retaining said cross bar in definitely separated relation from the first cross bar, stop means adjustably secured on the side rods for determining the separating movement of the sleeved cross bar from the first cross vso ioc 

